Chapter 1
Meeting You Again

The day started out dark and stormy. No one had any idea what was to come. I trudged through the hallways, wondering idly why I still spent my summers at Hogwarts. After Voldemort's fall, there was nothing left to run from.

"Ah, Severus." I looked up to see Dumbledore heading towards me, his blue eyes twinkling incessantly.

I wondered vaguely what he was planning.

"Good morning, headmaster."

"Severus, when will you cease with the formalities? My name is not headmaster. It is Albus. And besides, it is no longer morning. Join me for lunch, dear friend. I believe we are soon to have a visitor." I stood, watching him as he passed by me.

He definitely had something up his sleeve.

All of the teachers had assembled in the Great Hall, but Dumbledore refused to tell us what was going on. We ate quietly, shooting each other furtive looks that reminded me of my school days. And when we had all settled in to the mystery, assuming the headmaster's age had caught up with him, the grand doors swung open. A beautiful woman with honey blond hair strode in, her heels clicking on the stone floor. She was wearing a tailored suit, and she was the essence of power and confidence. Only when her brown eyes locked onto mine did I realize who she was.

"Ah, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, smiling and standing. Everyone else followed suit. "It has been much too long."

"Indeed, Headmaster," she replied, curtsying smoothly without breaking her stride. Her voice had a taken on a rich silky texture that surprised everyone.

Gone was the know-it-all Hermione Granger that we all remembered, and in her place, was a sophisticated stranger that no one knew.

Ah, what was the world coming to?

"Sit down, Hermione, and join us for lunch."

"I apologize, sir, I did not before make my intentions clear. I have an important meeting with the ministry in a little under 30 minutes, but if you would extend the invitation, I would be dearly honored to join you for dinner." And she added in a lower, softer voice, "And I must speak to you as well, monsieur."

"Of course, dear. I can tell by your accent, you've spent some time in France recently, Hermione. Tell me all about it." He leaned in closer, and I shook my head. He seemed like a school boy. She smiled sweetly and pulled up a chair to tell him, when the doors crept open and a bright blue streak launched itself at Hermione.

"Hermione!" it cried, and everyone stood upon getting a good look at it. An authentic pixi person? Here? At seeing the incredulity in my eyes, Hermione smiled sheepishly and blushed.

"I suppose I would've wished you all to have met her properly. Headmaster, this is my friend, Nata. Nata, this is Dumbledore"

"Good to meet you, dear.Nata, did you say? The crown princess?" Nata, smiling so wide it nearly deflected all the light away from her electric blue hair, curtsied heavily.

"Yes, sir," she said in a very thick Italian accent, adding the sir in as an afterthought. "I am very pleased to meet you, Headmaster. It is an honor that I have hoped for ever since dear 'Mione has come to our humble city. To believe, someone so plain as when she had arrived would become a-" But Hermione's hand shot over Nata's mouth, and she chastised her with her eyes. I watched the interaction, mildly amused.

"A beautiful woman?" I asked, and Hermione's head turned slowly to me, as though she had forgotten I was there. Her golden brown eyes gazed into mine and I was enraptured.

"Oh, look at the time!" she cried, looking at her watch. "I'm terribly sorry to make our meeting short. I will speak to you later, Headmaster."

"Of course, Hermione, dear. Good luck," he added, grasping her hand and giving her that look as though he knew more than he had been told. She sped from the room, Nata in tow, and everyone was silent, staring at the door she had vacated.

"Well," Flitwick said, finally. "That was..."

"Interesting," McGonagall filled in. "Very interesting."

"What do you make of it, Albus?" I asked. But he just smiled, his eyes twinkling in that way that annoyed everyone.

"Would you like some treacle fudge, Severus?" he asked, smiling mysteriously.

I rushed from the grounds, Nata in tow. She was grinning wickedly, but I honestly didn't want to know what she was thinking. Obviously, I didn't have a choice.

"So, 'Mione.."

"Yes, Nata?" I asked, irritated. Her tone caused me much suspicion.

"Who was the one on the end? I think I remember his name to be.."

"Severus Snape. Potions master. Reigning bastard at Hogwarts. Happy?"

"You and him are compatible." I looked at her, incredulous.

"I love you to death, Nata, and I trust your skills as a pixi, but stop this madness. He and I are not compatible, and we will speak no longer of the subject. Please, stay at the hotel until I'm done with the Minister of Magic. I do not fancy a repeat of the earlier staring."

"Oh, Meeny," she whined. "Do you not love me?" She blinked her large blue eyes in an overenthusiastic way, and I laughed.

"Go back to the hotel room, and I will see you soon." Nata smiled, nodding, and flashing away. I thoughtI saw a mischievious smile, but I pushed it aside to focus on my upcoming meeting.

Dumbledore looked up as a sudden pop announced the arrival of someone in his office. Knowing the wards would protect them from intruders, he was not surprised to see the pixi princess standing before him. She smiled at him, and he liked to think that it was very mysterious, much like his own.

"Good morning, Ms. Clion. What can I do for you today?"

"Oh, much, dear Headmaster. Poor 'Mione has not been away from her family in the entire 5 year that she has been there," she said, her eyes wide with sympathy.

"I see, Nata. So, she will be homesick on her stay with us?"

"Yes, sir. I was wondering if..." she trailed off hopefully.

"Nata, if you need a place to stay, Hogwarts will always open its arms to you and Hermione." His eyes twinkled, laughing. She smiled in deep appreciation.

"You are a very kind man. Could you tell me about this.. Severus Snape?" Dumbledore's face immediately took on a slightly more serious look.

"He is a good man, Ms. Clion, although he is very much misjudged. Do not make the same mistake as so many before you."

"Oh, believe me, Mr. Dumbledore, sir, I have not judged him. He holds mystery beyond my comprehension... But he and Hermione..." Dumbledore smiled softly.

"I know, Ms. Clion. I believe a ball is in order!" She grinned widely.

"I do believe so, Mr. Dumbledore, I do believe so."

The ominous feeling the sky gave off during the morning had not let up by mid-evening. I had gone into the Forbidden Forest to replenish my stock of a special mushroom.

'Hermione Granger', I thought, as I picked my way through the overgrowth. 'How long had it been since we had last seen her? 5 years?' The sight of our most precious student, no matter how she had grown up, brought back memories of a tumultuous past, full of danger and pain. Thunder crashed in the distance, and the trees around me blew with the growing winds.

Hermione Granger's reappearance led to thoughts of Voldemort. Although he had long since been defeated, the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Annoy-Everyone and his sidekick had not celebrated. No one had heard from Hermione in over a year when Voldemort was finally killed. Potter and Weasley kept saying, "We'll celebrate when Hermione has returned." For nearly two years, they continued in their childlike belief that She was coming back. The wounds were still fresh.

I hoped fervently that her news would not create more waves than just her resurfacing.